Assessment of Vegetation Degradation in the Special Nature Reserve “Brzansko Moravište” Using Satellite Vegetation Indices (2017–2024)

Nemanja Ristić, Anđela Ratković, Jovana Ratković

Abstract


This paper presents an assessment of vegetation degradation in the Special Nature Reserve “Brzansko Moravište” using Sentinel-2 satellite imagery for the period 2017–2024. Vegetation condition was analyzed by calculating the NDVI, NDMI, and NDWI indices, as well as indicators such as the Vegetation Condition Index (VCI) and the Land Degradation Index (LDI). All indices were derived by processing satellite images in the QGIS software. The analysis was carried out seasonally, for four characteristic periods within the year (March, May, July, and September), while interannual changes enabled insight into the annual state of vegetation. The results indicate that the vegetation cover is generally stable with a slight positive trend, but with pronounced interannual variations. The most favorable condition was recorded in 2018, while 2022 was identified as a critical year with the lowest VCI values and the highest spatial heterogeneity, indicating increased vegetation stress. NDMI confirmed periodic moisture deficits, especially during the summer months, while NDWI indicated limited dynamics of surface waters. LDI showed that, relative to the baseline year 2017, there was an initial decline in vitality, followed by partial stabilization in the later period. A combined risk map based on LDI and VCI identified localized high-risk zones requiring priority management measures. The research confirms that the integration of multiple vegetation indices represents a reliable framework for monitoring ecological changes and provides a basis for effective conservation planning and sustainable management of protected areas.

Keywords: Special Nature Reserve “Brzansko Moravište”, vegetation indices, Sentinel-2, risk maps, NDVI, VCI, LDI

© 2025 Serbian Geographical Society, Belgrade, Serbia.

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Serbia.




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